A Balanced Indian Diet

by
JILL CORLEONE, RDN, LD Oct. 03, 2017

Jill Corleone, RDN, LD

Jill Corleone is a registered dietitian and health coach who has been writing and lecturing on diet and health for more than 15 years. Her work has been featured on the Huffington Post, Diabetes Self-Management and in the book "Noninvasive Mechanical Ventilation," edited by John R. Bach, M.D. Corleone holds a Bachelor of Science in nutrition.

Include as many food groups as you can at each meal.
Photo Credit: isatori/iStock/Getty Images

As a primarily plant-based diet, the Indian diet is considered healthy. However, like any diet, if you eat too much of one type of food and not enough of another, you may not get all the nutrition you need. A healthy and balanced Indian diet is one that includes a variety of foods from all the food groups.

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Indian Diet Basics

According to the dietary guidelines for Indians developed by the Indian Council of Medical Research, a healthy and balanced Indian diet should get most of its calories from cereals, millet and pulses, which are legumes such as lentils, peas and beans. The diet should also include milk for high-quality protein and calcium, as well as oils and nuts for nutrition and calories. Fruits and vegetables are an important source of vitamins and minerals and are also part of your balanced Indian diet.

Many Indians follow a vegetarian diet, and while eggs and animal meats also act as a source of high-quality protein, they're not necessary as long as you're eating a diet filled with grains, legumes, vegetables and milk.